Means for molding concrete blocks



Apr. 17, 1923.

1,4533% G. J. SAFFERT MEANS FOR MOLDING CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed June 16, 1922 66/1176 fJaj/eri fi Zia 14 220 r/ y Patented Apr. l7, 119235..

GEORGE J. SAFFER'I', OF NEW ULM, MINNESOTA.

MEANS FOR MOLDING CONCRETE BLOCKS.

Application fi1e=i=June 16, 1922. Serial No. 568,858.

To all whom. it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. SArrn-R'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Ulm, in the county of Brown and State of 5 Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Molding Concrete Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to molds for forming cement building blocks and more particularly to that type of block molds, which are adapted to serve as a carryingdevice for carrying the building blocks directly from the camping machine to the drying racks.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a portable mold, involving toggle mechanism in connection with the sides, whereby the filled mold may be conveniently and safely carried without the use of a pallet plate or bottom board. Ordinarily, building blocks are formed in a mold which rests on a portable bottom board or stock pallet in the process of tamping the block, and which pallet afterwards serves as a drying plate, the pallet not being again available for several days, or, until the block is dried. lhus, a different pallet is required for each building block, entailing great expense both in initial outlay and keepingthe pallets in repair.

Further, the pallets frequently warp and thus form imperfect blocks.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a metallic mold which may be constructed of relatively thin sheet metal to enable it to be conveniently carried and which may be blanked and formed in dies to render it cheap of construction and accurate in form.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a flask or mold of the class described, so constructed that it may be held in molding position by the use of ordinary foundry clamps such as are used on the usual wooden flasks used in founding;

A further object of the invention is the provision of an expandable mold wherein the block is formed when in contracted state, and which has carrying handles so constructed, as to tend to still further contract the mold when the latter is carried by said handles.

"With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement ofpartshereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure l, is a perspective view of a mold embodying my invention, showing it in position to receive thematerial of which the block is tobe made.

Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the mold showing it in distended state.

Fig. 3, is a perspective view of a preferred form of my improved device for holding the mold contracted while the contents thereof is being 'tamped.

Fig. at, is a side elevation of same showing the filled mold on edge.

Fig. 5, is another form of device for holding the mold contracted in the process of tamping.

Fig. 6, is a sectional View drawn toa reduced scale, taken on line 66 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 7, is a face view of the corner of one of the sidewalls of the mold.

The invention comprises side walls land 1, and end walls 2 and 2'. The walls are of uniform height, and as shown, constitute a mold for forming a rectangular building block. The walls 1 and 2 are joined together at the corner to form a right angle, the vertical edge forming the end of the wall 2 being formed preferably with two tenons 8, adapted to slide through mortises 4, so that the wall 1 may he slid toward or away from its companion wall 1.. The wall 2- is formed with a pair of tenons 13 at each of its ends, said tenons being substantially similar to the tenons 3 of the wall 2. The tenons 3 extend slidable, both 1011- gitudinally of the plate 2' and laterally thereof through the openings l, which latter are wider than the tenons 3 to permit the plate 2 to be bodily moved away or toward the wall 2. Thus, when the tenons are fully projected through the mortisedopenings.4 and i, respectively, the walls of the mold are in proper molding position. To retain the wall 2* in proper position, I provide the lugs 5, one adjacent each of the openings 4 and so positioned relative thereto, as to lock the wall between the inner edge 4:" of said openings and the lug, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 7 and in full lines in Figure 1. The lugs are of proper height to permit the plate 2 to pass over them when. it is moved laterally in the openings and when the wall 1 is moved outwardly on the tenons 3. end of the wall 1, is formed with an inturned lug 6, which is preferably integral therewith and bent at right angles thereto.

The wall 1 is likewise formed with lugs 6', one at either end thereof, and substantially similar to the lug 6 of the wall 1, said lugs being spaced outwardly from the openings 1 and 4; toform a clearance space 7 between the lugs and the end walls. Pivoted at thei outer ends by means of pivots 8 and 8 respectively, are the toggle levers 9 and 9, said levers being pivoted at their inner ends as by means of the pivot 9 to form a toggle connection between the plates 1 and l to move the latter outwardly I away from the former when the levers are brought into straight alinement as indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Each of the end plates 2 and 2 is provided with a handle 10, said handle being so positioned as to form a stop for the togglelevers, when the latter are in straight alinement. The lever 9 is further formed with an integral handle 10 extending upwardly and outwardly when the levers are in straight alinement and approximately level with the top of the mold when the levers are in upswung position as shown in Figure 1, wherein the side walls are in operative position.

For the purpose of holding the side walls of the mold against spreading, 1 preferably provide the device illustrated in Figure 3, though an ordinary flask clamp 11. shown in Figure 5, maybe equally effective.

A designates a fiat top plate or work table to which is secured aT iron having a vertical leg member 12 to form a stationary wall, the ends thereof extending at right angles to the surface A. Spaced uniformly from the member 12 is the angle plate 13, the vertical leg 14 thereof being disposed parallel with the member 12 while the horizontal leg 15 rests upon the horizontal leg of the T.

The members 12 and 13 are properly spaced to receive the mold in its contracted state between them, in a manner to permit the tenons 3 and, 8 to project beyond the ends of the leg members as indicated in dot-- ted lines in Figure 3. Thus, the side walls 1 and 1 will be supported to prevent spreading during the process of tainping, the inner faces of the leg members being provided with clearance strips 15 to engage with the outer faces of the side walls to insure even contact.

The angle plate 13 is pivotally secured by means of the hinges 16 to a base plate 17, which in turn is secured to the work table.

The base plate is further provided with a rest 18, adapted to support the angle plate in upswung position as indicated in Fig. 4.

Preferably midway of its height the It will be noted, that the angle plate abuts against the base plate at 19, so that when the mold is being filled and tamped, the lateral pressure exerted by the side walls of the mold is resisted by the base plate. Thus, the holding device illustrated in Figure 3 may be termed releasable means for holding the mold in contracted position.

In operation, the mold is placed in the holding device in contracted state, the end wall 2 having been moved to rest against the inside of the lugs 5. WVhen the tamping is completed, the holding device is manually actuated by means of the handles 10, to set the mold on edge. This brings the handles 10 into handy position to be gripped by the workman and swung from the table. Obviously, the toggle levers will tend to further contract the side walls and thus exert pressure against the contained block, thus gripping it after the manner of ice tongs. The mold is then placed on the drying rack and the toggle levers then pushed downward until they strike the stop handle 10, whereby the side walls are spread outwardly and the contents of the mold freed. The end wall 2 is now grasped by the tenons 3 and slid laterally in the openings 4 to afford end clearance between the mold and block. The mold may now be lifted from the cement block and is available for further use. Thus, I obviate the use of pallets, secure a light weight mold, cheap of manufacture and ethcient in operation.

It is to be understood that I may use the clamp shown in Figure 5, its application being indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1.

It will be noted that the side wall 2 carries the lug 6 at the juncture of the two walls, which lug corresponds to the lugs 6 and 6' but for convenience in manufacture extends beyond the side wall.

As the mold cannot be so accurately made as not to expand slightly under a heavy internal pressure due to vigorous tamping, and as the holding device must have ample play to freely admit the mold, the side walls are separated slightly from the ends of the end walls when the tamping" of the mold is completed. Thuswhen the workman grasps the handles 10 and lifts the mold, the toggle levers tend to crowd. the side walls toward each other, and inasmuch as the side walls do not butt directly against the ends of the end walls, as above stated, the contained concrete block receives the full side pressure developed by the toggles, and is thus held in position. until deposited on the drying racks, not shown.

I claim: I

1. A concrete block mold, comprising in combination, a side wall, an end Wall rigidly joined to said side wall, a tenon extending outwardly from the free end of said end wall, a mortise in said side wall adjacent the free end thereof, a movable wall. arranged parallel with said end wall each end thereof being formed with an outwardly extending tenon, one of said tenons extending through said mortise and being slidable in a horizontal plane therein, a side wall parallel with the aforesaid side wall and formed with openings adjacent its ends adapted to slidably receive, respectively, the tenons at the free ends of said end walls, and toggle levers connecting respectively adjacent ends of saids'ide walls for the purpose set forth.

2. A concrete block mold, comprising in combination, a side wall, an end wall joined at right angles to said side wall, a tenon extending from the free end of said end wall, a mortise in said side wall adjacent the free end thereof, a movable wall each end thereof be ng formed with a tenon, said movable wall being arranged parallel with said end wall and extending with one of its tenons loosely through said mortise, a wall arranged parallel with the aforesaid side wall and formed with openings to slidably re ceive, respectively, the tenons at the free ends of said end walls, and an inwardly inclined lever pivotally connected one to each end of each of said side walls to swing in a vertical plane, and a pivotal connection between adjacent inclined levers.

3. In a concrete block mold, the combination, side walls, end walls extending between said side walls, loose connections between said side walls and end walls, said connections being of a character to enable one side wall to be moved bodily to a predetermined degree in a horizontal plane relative to the other, and one end wall to be moved bodily to a predetermined degree in a horizontal plane relative to both of said side walls either longitudinally or transversely thereof, manually operable toggle mechanism operatively connecting adjacent ends of said side walls for moving one bodily relative to the other when said mechanism is actuated, and means carried by said side walls engageable with said movable end wall to restrict the longitudinal movement of the latter relative to said side walls when the latter are in engagement with said end walls.

4. Means for molding concrete blocks, comprising in combination, side walls, end walls extending between said side walls, loose connections between one of said side walls and one end wall, loose connections between th other of said side walls and said end wall, said connections being of a construction to enable one side wall to be moved bodily in a horizontal plane relative to the other, and one end wall to be moved bodily inv a horizontal plane relative to both of said side walls in either a longitudinal or trans verse direction relative to said side walls, manually operable toggle mechanism operatively connecting adjacent ends of said side walls for moving one bodily relative to the other when said mechanism is actuated, and a holding device adapted to engage with the outside of said side walls for holding the latter against the ends of said end walls during molding operation, said device including a stationary support for one of the side walls and an upwardly and outwardly swingable support for the other side wall, for the purpose set forth.

5. Means for molding concrete blocks, comprising in combination, a mold holding device, which device includes a flat plate, a stationary vertical wall, and a right angled angle member formed of two plates hinged at the juncture of. its component plates to said flat plate in a manner to form a floor disposed at right angles to said stationary wall, and a parallel companion wall for the latter, said angle member being swingable upwardly away from said stationary wall, and a rectangular bottomless mold adapted to rest on said floor and fitting with its side walls between said stationary and companion walls to be held thereby during a molding operation and swing outwardly with said angle plate away from said stationary wall, said mold being constructed with loose corner connect ons between its surrounding walls to enable the latter to spread to release the contained molded block, and with sets of toggle levers joining the side walls, a set for each end of the latter, to serve as handles, whereby, when each set of toggle levers is grasped by the hand to carry the filled mold in such a manner as to put said levers in tension, the sides of the mold will be forced against the molded block within the mold.

6. Means for molding concrete blocks, comprising in part in combination a rectangular bottomless open top mold of uniform depth formed of relatively thin sheet metal, one side and one end wall thereof being formed of one piece bent at right angles, the end. of said end well being formed with inte-- gral lugs extending in the plane of the wall. and the end of said side wall being formed with an integral lug extending inwardly parallel with said end wall, and rectangular vertically alined openings wider than the thickness of said walls, a companion end wall for the aforesaid end wall formed at each of its ends with lugs substantially similar to the lugs of the aforesaid end wall, said lugs being adapted to slidably extend through said openings, a companion side wall. for the aforesaid side wall each end thereof being formed with an inwardly extending integral lug arranged parallel with said end walls, vertically alined openings substantially similar to the aforesaid. openings and positioned opposite the latter to slidably receive the lugs of the ct ,er end of said companion end wall, and oi'ienings in the other end of said companion side wall to slidably receive the lugs 01 the first named end Wall, an out- Wardly extending lug at the corner formed by said integral side and end Wall, said lug extending in a olane parallel to said end Walls and located on the level With the inturned lugs of said companion side Wall, inwardly inclined levers, one pivoted to each or" the inwardly extending lugs of said side Walls. and to said outwardly extending lug carried by said integral end and side Wall, and a pivotal connection between the inner ends the ediacently located levers.

'7. llleans fofr molding concrete blocks comprising in part in combination, a rectangular bottomless open top mold, having one movable side Wall and one movable end Wall, the side Walls thereof loosely abutting against the ends of said movable end Wall and the movable side Wall loosely abutting against the end ofthe stationary end Wall, connections of a construction, between the side-walls and the movable end Wall to enabl the latter to be moved horizontally in a direction transversely or longitudinally of the side walls, a connection of a construetion. between the movable side Wall and the stationary end Wall to enable the former to be moved longitudinally of the latter, and toggle levers for each end of the mold for connecting: adjacent ends of the side Walls mounted in a manner to function as handles for carrying; the mold to ellect a toggle action on the sides of the latter responsive to a carrying by the said handles.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE J. SAFFERT. 

